Rotatable hoe or cutter.



P. B. WOHLRAB.

ROTATABLE HOB 0R CUTTER.

APPLICATION rILBD 1111.20, 11114.

` 1,1 14,839. Patented 001. 27, 1914 51a 11e/nio@ STATES orrion.

PAUL B. WOHLRAB, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

BOTATABLE HOE OR GUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

)Patented Oct. 27, 19141.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL B. VVOHLRAB, a citizen of the United States,residinf1r at Racine, in the county of lRacine and Ltate of `Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RotatablevHoes orCutters, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in rotatable cutters or hoes,embodied in farming implements, and has particular reference toapparatus of this character so constructed that the blade or bladesthereof are continuously rotated under normal conditions, but areadapted to stop when encountering an obstruction in the soil, such as astone or the like, thus preventing injury to the blade or blades orother parts of the apparatus.

An important object of the invention is to provide means of the abovementioned character, which are simple in construction, inexpensive tolmanufacture, strong, durable, and convenient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the abovementioned character, whereby the tension applied to the blade carryingelements may be quickly and easily adjusted by the operation of a singleclamping nut or element.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovementioned character, formed of .few and simple parts, which may bequickly and easily assembled or separated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig.2, and, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2--2 ofFig. 1.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown apreferred. embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designatesdepending arms or brackets, supported by a frame 6 of a wheeledimplement, as shown. At their lower ends these brackets or arms areprovided with two-part heads 7, for receiving two-part horizontallyarranged tubular bearings 8 and 9.

The numeral 1 0 designates an intermediate sleeve, provided near itsopposite ends with outwardly extending annular flanges or disks 11 and12.

The numerals 13 and 14 designate sleeves which are freely rotatablymounted within the tubular bearings d and 9 respectively. The sleeve 13is provided at its inner end with an outwardly extending annular flangeor disk 15 disposed near the flange 11 while the sleeve 14 is providedat its inner end with an outwardly extending annular flange or disk 1G,disposed near the flange 12, as shown.

The sleeves 10, 13 and 14: are splined upon a horizontally arrangedstub-shaft 17, as shown at 18, whereby the sleeves are free to movelongitudinally thereof and connot rotate thereon. The stub-shaft 17 isprovided at one end with an enlarged head 19, engaging a drivingelement, preferably in the form of a sprocket or gear wheel 20,preferably formed integral with the sleeve 14, as shown. The oppositeend of the stub-shaft 17 is provided with a screw-threaded reducedportion 21, receiving thereon an adjustinfr nut 22, which may be lockedin the desired position by means of a clamping nut 23. Arranged betweenthe adjusting nut 22 and the outer end of the sleeve 13 1s a suitablystiff compressible and expansible coil spring 24. As

clearly shown in Fig. 2, the sleeve 13 is substantially longer than thetubular bearing 8, whereby the sleeve may be shifted longitudinally ineither direction with relation to the tubular bearing 8, while thesleeve 14 is of substantially the same length as the tubular bearing 9,whereby-such tubular bearing holds the sleeve 14 against perceptiblelongitudinal movement in either direction. l

Arranged between the flanges or disks 11, 15 and 12, 16 are blade orcutter carrying disks 25, upon the opposite sides of which arepreferably arranged friction disks 26, engaging with the annular flangescarried by the sleeves. While I prefer to employ these friction disks,yet it is to be understood that the same may be dispensed with, and theapparatus so constructed that the flanges of the sleeves will directlyfrictionally engage the cutter or blade carrying disks 25.

The cutter or blade carrying disks are preferably of the constructionmore clearly shown in Fig. 1, the same having sockets 27 rigidlyattached thereto, carrying outwardly extending cutters or blades 28, ofany well known or preferred type.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The adjusting nut 22 ismanipulated whereby the spring 24`is placed under the desired tension toeffect the pro er clamping engagement 'between the annu ar flanges,disks 26, and cutteror blade carrying disks 25. The rotation of the gearor sprocket wheel 20 is transmitted to the stub-shaft 17, and throughthe same to the annular flanges l1, ,15 and 12, 16. rlhe rotation ofthese annular IiangeS, through the medium of the frictional disks 26, istransmitted to the cutter or blade carrying disks 25, which are normallyrigidly clamped or locked thereto, for rotation therewith. When eitherof the cutters or blades 28 encounters an obstacle in the soil, such asa stone or the like, the disk 25 carrying the same is stopped, while therotation of the stub-shaft 17 continues,

`which is possible by the provision of the friction clutch means.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parte may beresorted' to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. ln apparatus of the characterdescribed, a relatively stationary bearing, a sleeve rotatably mountedtherein and held thereby against perceptible longitudinal movement, anvoutwardly( extending ange carried by the inner end of the sleeve, drivfing means for the sleeve carried by the outer end thereof, a stub-shaftextending through the sleeve and having an enlarged head engaging thedriving means and provided at its opposite end with a screw-threadedportion, a second sleeve mounted upon the stub,-V shaft and providedwith an outwardly eX tending flange arranged in coperative relation withthe first named flange, means to arianne spline said sleeves upon thestub-shaft a spring mounted upon the stub-shaft to urge the sleevestoward each other, an adjusting nut engaging the spring and arrangedupon the screw-threaded portion of the stub-shaft, and a blade carryingelement arranged between the flanges of the sleeves.,

2. ln apparatus of the character described, a bearing, a sleeverotatably mounted within the bearing and provided near one end with afriction disk, a rotatable element connected with the opposite end ofthe sleeve to drive the same, a stub-shaft passing through the sleeveand provided with means to prevent its longitudinal movement in onedirection with relation to the sleeve, a co-acting friction diskarranged upon the stub-shaft near the rst named friction disk, a springto urge thesecond named friction disk toward the first named frictiondisk, and a blade-carrying disk arranged between the co-acting frictiondisks, rotatably mounted upon the stub-shaft and driven by` the frictiondisks.

3. ln apparatus of the character described, a bearin a sleeve rotatablymounted within the earing and held thereby against perceptiblelongitudinal movement and provided near one end with a frictional disk,a. stub-shaft passing through the sleeve and provided with an enlargedhead to engage with one end` of thel sleeve, 4a second sleeve mountedupon the stub-shaft and provided with a friction disk to coperate withthe first named friction disk, means to spline the sleeves to thestubeshaft, a coil spring surrounding the stub-shaft and serving to ur eone frlction disk toward 'the other, and a iliade-carrying diskrotatably mounted upon the stub-shaft and arranged between the frictiondisks to be driven thereby.

ln testimony whereofl afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL B. WOHLRAB.

Witnesses PETER PRUDENT, el r., L. Sonnnenn.

